Devoted to the Princess
by Vbabe11
Summary: A very short tale about how Mianko met Art. I wrote it in 2 seconds but i really enjoyed it! it's not exactly what i think would happen but it's cute anyway. Hope you do too! (R&R please! kiss kiss!)


Devotion to his princess

It was early morning and sunlight was steaming though Minako window draping it's self onto white fur and yellow sheets. 

            You could hear birds chipping over the land. The great field of flowers moved like the waves of the sea across the lands of the moon. There in the center, sitting on a blanket made of think wool, sat four princesses. On the outskirts of the blanket were the princesses five guardians. (Two for Mars. Lovely young ladies dressed in black. Often mars wondered if they ever got hot wearing what they did.) Each was about 7 years old and sprightly. The littlest one, the princes of the moon was playing with a doll who's name was Sarah. She had just been showing Sarah t her friend Ami who was the princes of mercury. The two giggled and talk and stoked her fine horsehair and bobbed her up and down. Next to them was the princess of Mars and Jupiter. The two young girls were picking flowers and tying them together into small wreaths intended for bracelets. 

            "Oh look! Here she comes!" The princess of Mercury knelt upright and waved to her new playmate just visible over the hillside. 

"Over here!" The white princess made Sarah's hand wave at the two on-coming visitors. When the little girl caught sight of the blanket on which her friends sat on, she rushed forward with words busting out of her mouth so quickly she could hardly be understood.

            "Hold on Minako! We can't understand a stupid thing you're say-ying." The princes of mar crossed her arms defiantly. She had just learned the word 'stupid' and was quite adept at putting it to use. Her guardian (Demios) however reminded her that she was not to call the Queen of Venus Stupid, nor by her un-formal name.

            "But it takes too long to say the whole thing!" The princess of mars threw up her little arms in exasperation. The Moon guardian sighed and giggled to herself. 

_She, _thought Makoto, _is a good guardian for Serenity. Calm and forceful. And the little things don't matter to her. _Mako shots a small glance over her shoulder at her own guardian sitting several feet away knitting. A very calm young lady who acted like a nurse toward Mako since she was a baby. But she was very pale next to the dark rich fur of Luna the cat. At least Serenity's guardian was soft.

            "I was just say-ying that I missed you guys! What's up?" The princess flopped down very unladylike onto a spot on the island and yanked up a few flowers.

            "Queen of Venus! You are not to use such casual terms. Even around your friends." The Old woman was cross and wore a fluffy pink hat. She was stubborn and grouchy. Minako hated her just as she had hated all the rest. It was like they were babysitting her, not training her. Not protecting her. As powerful as this witch might be, Minako was as ever in dislike as she had ever been. Every Person that had been assigned to her seemed to get progressively worse. Just as if they thought this could solve a problem.

            "I told you not to call me queen! It sounds…" She looked helplessly to her friend in a red dress searching for answers. 

"Stupid." Mars whispered under her breath as much as she could. Her two guardians faces screwed up in distaste of her behavior but Rei had obviously thought she had been very sneaky because she smirked to herself.

"Stupid." Minako smiled triumphantly. "I want to be like my friends." All of the young ladies smiled at her gratefully. They all knew that Minako had no mother. It was legend that all Venus rulers were women and born from the foam of the sea the day the last queen died. 

"Well you can't." The pink hat lady spoke evenly and forcefully. "It is not correct. You must be correct." She plopped down on a patch of flowers and began to entertain herself with a book. Minako rolled her eyes at her friends and began to make a small bracelet. When she was to return home she put it in her pocket. 

            "She needs something different. She's not just a child. She needs someone more like her but more responsible!" 

            "What she needs is a good whack."

            "Bite your tongue woman. It's not her that needs a good helping of the back side of my hand."

            "Yes. We've all agreed that you are no good for the princess. We only asked you here to help us decide if this would a be a good choice for her."

            "No one is a good choice for her…It's true I do love the little darling. But you didn't hire me to become her best friend. Being the born leader of the senshi she is to trained and molded. Not played about with."

            "I quite agree. But you seem to be filling neither. You're out."

            "That's fine."

"So what is your opinion of our choice?"

"…I think…you could not find better. A friend of her Mothers? Yes. I'll say it again. You could not find better."

Minako heard all this while laying low against the wall of the Venison castle. But it made no more sense to her that night, than the same conversation they had had the night before. It was obviously about her. But the other parts she could not figure out. If her current maiden was fired why did she not leave and get on with the new one? So she was going to be molded. Minako didn't care much for molding but was looking forward to someone other that the tight knit brow of her pink hated advisor. Her answer soon came.

Minako was dressed in a fine yellow spring outside dress with a bonnet of lace shadowing her head. She was intending to go out but had been re-directed to another hall.

"You are to meet a new advisor today." The voice was sharp and pained. Minako looked up into her ex-guardian's face with some alarm. Although she knew she was to be assigned a new guardian she had not expected to see a face of so much hurt. "Good person. You'll be just fine." 

"What should a I call her?" Minako interjected. The woman seemed flustered as to not understanding where the question was coming from.

"Uh. Artimis." She had to tear her eyes away from the princess in pain.  She obviously did not want his to happen. But she was walking quickly enough that Minako had to try hard not to trip on her summer gown. They stopped abruptly outside the main dinning hall. Inside, Minako could hear voices introducing the palace. The woman stopped and stooped down to fix up Minako's appearance. Being a Goddess of Love Minako was not unaware of the ladies feelings. She obviously wanted to be professional about it but was trembling as she pulled on the hem of the dress to flatten it. Minako put out her hands very slowly. She dragged them over her guardian's shoulders and pulled her into a grateful hug. 

When she turned the corner, hands clasped behind her back, she looked around for the new lady assigned to her. This one would be gone quickly too. Minako had never felt she should become really attached and so her gaze was lazy and she tried to blink back forbidden tears. But there was no lady. The men at the far end of the room rushed forward with a person Minako had never seen before. A young man obviously about 19 years old. His jaw was set and his hair was white. Minako thought it was odd that had between his bangs a gold cut. No one in the room spoke for a moment. 

"Queen Venus, this is going to be your new guardian. He is to be with you at all times and be a great support to you for the rest of your days." The thick brown haired man gently pushed forward the boy in white, obviously Artemis. 

"He?" Minako stared stupidly. "A _boy_ is to be my _maid_?" Minako stood dumfounded and did not take her eyes off his naturally handsome face. She came forward with a switch of her hair and pulled on his sleeve. Obediently he knelt in front of her. His face was indeed young looking. It had traces of wise age in it. But even as she roamed over each tiny detail in its brave look, her eyes went back to the funny scar. Now that it was at eye level however, she could clearly see it was a-

"Moon shaped thing like on Luna." She looked into his eyes trying to be very serious. Minako could feel all the members in the room hold their breath. Very rarely had they seen the girl so solemn before. "Are you from the moon…. Artemis?" 

"Yes I am" His voice was sure and brave like a man's. He stuck out his hand to her and smiled like a knight but she did not take it, still looking into his eyes. "My name is Artemis and I'm no one's maid. I don't clear up after you."

Minako sighed inwardly as well as outwardly. This was going to be exactly like all her other guards, Strict and mean. But then the next few words made her re-think this crude term she had given her caretakers.

"I'm your partner." He was so sure of himself. It shook Minako. She found herself wanting to be like him-even if he was a boy. Minako had never had a partner before everyone looked and treated her like a some china doll. This was ridiculous considering how many times a day she ruined a new dress, broke a new lamp, and shouted a bit too loudly. An idea came into her head. A way to test this boy.

"I don't like to be called Queen. I want to be called the princess." This didn't shake or move Artemis at all. In fact her came up with an answer right away. With a determined look in his gray eyes he spoke.

"I know. If it will make you feel better you'd better come up with a good reason for it other than to just be like your friends. Because you need to think for yourself who you are. It's not by some name or title. But you must understand why you have that name. You are very special. You are not being treated like a baby before you rule like your friends are. It is your destiny to follow, lead and protect your friends. You might some day be asked to give your life for them. Only you can be ready for it. and when the time come no one will be there. You will stand on your own. You will be unique. Until that time I will be there to help you." His answer stuck Minako. Actually it struck everyone in the room. They all gaped at him some with open mouths others with scowls and other of wonder looking from the stern face of the trainer and the stone face of the princess. 

Minako was not angry. Not cold. She was simply considering what had been said. At this moment she was not a princess but the leader he spoke of. She opened her mouth wide and seemed to pick out each word with studious care.

"I am not better than my friends. I am not ready to be called Queen yet. Until I am, I want to be treated like that." She broke her character with a final and pleading look hoping he understood her broken words. "OK?" 

He did. And he said, "OK."

Minako's smile brightened wildly. "Did you know you've got a _girl's_ name?" She bust into fits of laughter.

"It is not! It happens to be a very regal name."

"Yeah, a _girl_'s regal name!"

"Stop that! It's very common on the Moon"

"Yeah, very common _girl's _name on the Moon!"

"You should be happy I'm not extemporaneous or I'd-"

"I should be very happy you not a _girl's _extemporaneous!" She fell over in fits of laughter. And barely notice when he was just a small fluff on the floor. When e tears of joy had subsided she abruptly gasped and commented 

"Where did he go?" 

"Here. This will be the form I'm most used to." He sat on his hind legs proudly flicking his tail back and forth. 

"Me too!" exclaimed the princess. She gathered up the bundles of white fur into her arms, his hind legs dangling from her funny grip. "Oh your so soft like Luna too!" She snuggled her face into his long white strands and began chatting away down the halls while he tried desperately to climb up to a better position. 

The royalty in the hallway stood stunned. The leader of them all turned away his head his hands. 

"I need asprin. This is going to be long millennia.


End file.
